MATLAB: How to automatically abort failed unit test - matlab

Question

I am wondering how I can make a unit test to automatically stop, once an error in the system under test (sut) occurs?
Let's assume, the unit test runs some 1,000 different input combinations, and is supposed to verify that the results are equal to the expectations. Now, let's further assume there is a simple syntax error in sut, which causes an error. In this case I would like the unit test to automatically stop and invoke the tear down method.
Is that possible?
Edit:
I am borrowing a MATLAB example from their help site (https://de.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/create-basic-parameterized-test.html) in order to show more clearly what I mean:
Here you can see the test class:
classdef TestCarpet < matlab.unittest.TestCase
properties (TestParameter)
type = {'single','double','uint16'};
level = struct('small', 2,'medium', 4, 'large', 6);
side = struct('small', 9, 'medium', 81,'large', 729);
end
methods (Test)
function testRemainPixels(testCase, level)
% expected number pixels equal to 1
expPixelCount = 8^level;
% actual number pixels equal to 1
actPixels = find(sierpinski(level));
testCase.verifyNumElements(actPixels,expPixelCount)
end
function testClass(testCase, type, level)
testCase.verifyClass(...
sierpinski(level,type), type)
end
function testDefaultL1Output(testCase)
exp = single([1 1 1; 1 0 1; 1 1 1]);
testCase.verifyEqual(sierpinski(1), exp)
end
end
methods (Test, ParameterCombination='sequential')
function testNumel(testCase, level, side)
import matlab.unittest.constraints.HasElementCount
testCase.verifyThat(sierpinski(level),...
HasElementCount(side^2))
end
end
end
Here's the system under test:
function carpet = sierpinski(nLevels,classname)
if nargin == 1
classname = 'single';
end
% original line: mSize = 3^nLevels;
mSize = "That's clearly wrong here";
carpet = ones(mSize,classname);
cutCarpet(1,1,mSize,nLevels) % begin recursion
function cutCarpet(x,y,s,cL)
if cL
ss = s/3; % define subsize
for lx = 0:2
for ly = 0:2
if lx == 1 && ly == 1
% remove center square
carpet(x+ss:x+2*ss-1,y+ss:y+2*ss-1) = 0;
else
% recurse
cutCarpet(x + lx*ss, y + ly*ss, ss, cL-1)
end
end
end
end
end
end
I changed the definition of mSize to a string to produce an error. Now, if I run the tests, all tests will result in an error. I am wondering if it is possible to stop the tests as soon as possible, i.e. after the occurence of the first error?
The problem that I see is that the test code won't even reach the last line of testRemainPixels (testCase.verifyNumElements(actPixels,expPixelCount)). A fatalAssert does not help at this point, right?

Answer 1

Assuming you are using the test framework built into MATLAB, take a look at the types of qualifications, in particular the bulleted list at the top of this page:
https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/types-of-qualifications.html
If you want to stop the entire testing session you can use fatal assertions. If you want other tests to continue you can use assertions. If you want to skip all the test methods (and parameterizations) in a single file you can use an assertion in TestClassSetup or just add a basic "smoke" level exercise step of the code in TestClassSetup and if it errors it will behave like an assertion.
Hope that helps.